Not to jump on the bandwagon, but (1) your professionalism is something to be admired, and (2) whatever he does going forward is absolutely N-O-T on your head. Never steal a perpetrator's guilt! It belongs to them, not you.

What I wanted to add is, let's say you let him die. What then? All it would likely do is eat you up, because (1) you'd know you didn't live up to your pledge, and (2) you'd feel like you were his judge, jury and executioner all rolled into one. I know you would never feel comfortable living like that.

I'm glad (but not the least bit surprised) that you did the right thing and adhered to your professionalism. For what it's worth, I truly feel you did the right thing and will feel the same way in the long run.

Jude,Again, to reiterate what has been said, you did the right thing in saving his life. You, and all the health professionals have not been granted the authority to decide who lives and who dies. You start down a slippery slope when you begin to make decision not within the realm of your authority. One might say, that he doesn't deserve to live and you were saving lives. One could apply that thinking to all sorts of situations in an attempt to rationalize the "right" behavior. The Jack Ruby case illustrates this. He did what he thought was right when he killed Lee Harvery Oswald, but he didn't have the authority to kill Oswald and he paid the price by life imprisonment. This example may seem "out there" and it is, but i say it to illustrate a point. If we all took it upon ourselves to be police, judge, and jury, our society would crumble. We have the state, and its role is to arrest suspects, try them, defend them and ultimately penalize them or set them free. It frees us from making those decisions.

Had you taken the other course, there is no guarantee you wouldn't be experiencing the same sense of guilt or remorse you have experienced. There is no way to be 100% sure that would have been the right thing to do.

You had to make a difficult decision and you chose the right option. Be proud of yourself. Your conscience is clear because you did the right thing - you did your job and gave care to an evil man. Leave it to the law to punish him. If the state fails, I believe that the ultimate punishment for this perpetrator will be handed to him in the afterlife.

Jude, I would say that you exemplified exactly what we would hope for, from every human being on the planet. Empathy for our fellow man, in a time of need, with the necessary skills to make a difference.Professionalism aside, and very professional it was, you demonstrated the best part of humanity.

IMHO

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Presence is the key, for all we have is now. All we ever have is right now.

Inside that man is a dying child, that you must know too. Whatever you did it is because life has posed a lesson before you, love your enemies even when it hurts. You are brave my friend. I applaud your courage, for it is only those who can look towards the basic need and do good in minute particulars who are geniuses, do you think you would have felt better if you allowed for his passing? Whatever he does now on, is his reality to suffer and endure, once registered as an offender people do get to have a warning to who they are dealing with. Pray for the souls and lives of all those who are in need of aid. Perhaps this is fate developing you are the soldier who comes to the rescue of the enemy who shot him down, only the most noble men in war did this.

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"Survivors need an opportunity to define their own sexuality in their own terms, rather than in reaction to the abuse, so that they stop allowing their offenders to have power over them sexually."

A footnote: The man I referred to is now recovering in the hospital. I have no regrets for what I did, nor do I take any pleasure in it. A life was saved, and others were put at risk. Sometimes life is about picking the least worst of all bad options.

Jude

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I will remember youWill you remember me?Don't let your life pass you byWeep not for the memoriesSarah McLachlan

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